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Chris Garrison, a junior at Lawrence Academy, is photographed at Goffstown High School, his former school, and his hometown. (Thomas Roy/Union Leader)

Goffstown resident Garrison receives footballs, offers

By ROGER BROWNNew Hampshire Union Leader

Although there are no posters with his picture circulating that offer a reward for his capture, Goffstown's Chris Garrison is a wanted man.

Garrison, a 6-foot-4, 218-pound wide receiver who will soon be starting his second season with the Lawrence Academy football team in Groton, Mass., has four scholarship offers and it appears many more will soon be headed his way.

"I'm certainly taking a lot of calls," said Lawrence Academy coach Paul Zukauskas, who was an offensive lineman at Boston College and then spent four seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. "He's on the radar of a lot of schools across the country. There's been interest from the Pac-12 (Stanford), the SEC (Tennessee) and the Big Ten (Nebraska). He'll be a national recruit.

"He's a really good student and I think that's something that will help him, too. I think things will open up here once the season starts."

Garrison played football at Goffstown High School as a sophomore, but then transferred to Lawrence Academy, where he repeated his sophomore year. He'll be a junior this season.

Garrison said he received offers from Boston College, the University of Connecticut and the University of Massachusetts shortly after the 2012 season ended. The University of New Hampshire extended an offer earlier this summer.

"I'll definitely still consider (UNH)," Garrison said. "I'm good buddies with (Nashua South quarterback) Trevor Knight, who's going there. I know a lot of people who go there."

Garrison, 17, also plays linebacker/strong safety for Lawrence Academy, but college coaches are recruiting him to play on the offensive side of the ball. Recruiting services like ESPN's Recruiting Nation and Rivals.com list Garrison as a tight end because many schools project him as an H-back receiver in college, but he may have changed some opinions with his performance at BC camp this summer.

"I ran a 4.64 (40-yard dash) there, so I think they're starting to look at me as a wide receiver," Garrison said. "I've been to BC camp the last two years so I knew they had some interest, but I was definitely surprised when my coach told me about the offers. It was a little overwhelming."

Zukauskas said size and athletic ability are what makes Garrison special.

"When you see him on film what jumps out at you is he almost seems like he should be smaller than he is because of some of the things he can do on the field," Zukauskas said. "He has playmaking ability. He has the physical attributes to get the ball. He can jump up over kids and get the ball, and he can break tackles, too.

"He's the type of kid you want to try and hide him in formations and find different ways to get him the ball. He can certainly run.

"I know he's a little bigger and a little stronger than he was last year, so physically he hasn't peaked, either."

At this point Garrison seems less interested in recruiting than he does the upcoming season. He has two years before he has to pick a school.

"Right now I just want to focus on the football season," Garrison said. "I'm trying to stay open as long as possible. We'll see what comes along."